Classic Poem

" " 'TIS said that Beauty ne'er in any age
Has been at peace with Chastity; their war
Remains so fierce that in no song or tale
Have I e'er heard that they are in accord.
Their strife is mortal; neither yields a foot
Of ground which her opponent might secure
To aid her victory. But so unmatched
Are they that Chastity, for her own part,
Whether she attacks or makes defense,
To strike or ward possesses such small skill
That ever she acknowledges defeat,
For she is powerless 'gainst Beauty's force.
E'en Ugliness, her handmaiden, who owes
Service and honor, does not love or prize
Her mistress, but pursues her from the house
And chases her with high-uplifted mace
That is so powerful and weighs so much
That 'tis a wonder that her lady lives
A single hour. So Chastity's assailed
On either side, and is so badly served,
Securing succor from no single source,
That from the lonely struggle she takes flight.
If she'd a sword by its neck to wage the war,
She'd hardly dare to fight for hopeless cause,
Knowing so little, and opposed so much.
" " Curses upon the traitor, Ugliness,
Who her pursues whom she should most defend!
She should have hidden her beneath her shirt
Next to the skin, were there no other way.
Beauty, moreover, is as much to blame,
Who ought to love her and procure her peace,
If that would please her; or employ her power
To that good end when she gave up the fight;
Or even, were she courteous, wise, and good,
Bring homage to her, not disgrace and shame.
Now Vergil gives authority for this;
In his sixth book he quotes the Sibyl's words
That one will not be damned who chaste life lives.
" " I swear by God, who is of Heaven king,
That every dame who wishes to be fair
And paints her face that she may seem to be,
Admiring the reflection in her glass,
Taking great care with ornaments and clothes,
Is willing to make war on Chastity,
Who of such enemies has many a one.
Throughout the abbeys and the nunneries
They've sworn against her; none are so immured
That they do not hate Chastity so much
That they attempt to shame her if they can.
Homage to Venus all the women pay,
Regardless of the profit or the loss,
Painting and primping to deceive the men
Who watch them as they trail about the streets
To see and to be seen, and rouse desire
Of fornication in the lookers-on.
To dances and to church alike they wear
Their finery, which surely they'd not do
Did they not hope the men who see them there
Would thus be pleased — more quickly be seduced.
To tell the truth, they shame the deity.
Like crazy fools they are, who're not content
With that degree of beauty God bestowed.
Each one must crown her head with silk and gold
Or floral wreath in which she takes much pride
As simpering she shows herself in town.
By means of which the cursed unfortunate
Most vilely lowers herself when things more vile
Than she herself she puts upon her head,
Her beauty to increase or to perfect.
Thus she despises God, considering
Him insufficient in His handiwork;
And in her foolish heart she thinks the Lord,
When He bestowed what beauty she may boast,
Was negligent and gave her an affront.
She borrows beauty from the earth and flowers
And other things of little worth, which God
In viler form than hers has edified.
" " Undoubtedly this is as true of men
If we to gain more beauty chaplets make,
Or other frippery, to magnify
The beauty God has given. We insult
Him when we show ourselves unsatisfied
With that which he accords the human race
Us to exalt above all creatures else.
I have no use for such frivolity;
Sufficient clothes to guard me from the heat
And cold alone I wish. God helping me,
I can protect myself from wind and storm.
My woolen, lined with lambskin, is as good
As any finer fabric furred with squirrel skin." "